Obudu Vacation – CHAPTER IX (8)

“So, what’s really going on between both of you?” I asked her. “We’re cool. Made out yesterday,” she replied like it was supposed to be normal.“So, when do I get to watch…or join you two?” I asked, whispering the me partaking part.“We actually talked about that yesterday, but you’re leaving already.” she said. “Too bad,” I replied to which she responded, “Yeah.”

It was somewhat around past 12pm that I left her place for home to go prepare for the wedding reception. Getting home, I discovered none of the cars were parked in the compound. Frank had left with Fay’s, obviously dad and Fay left together and mom used hers.

I quickly had another bath and started looking for what to wear. Now, since I never envisaged attending such an event, I hadn’t come with any clothing for such which is the bow tie/dinner kinda outfit. Besides, unlike the West where most people are dressed traditionally for weddings, it’s a different style over here, especially if you are not related to the couple. So, putting on a jean, with a long sleeve shirt to match, shoes and my glasses (which I hardly make use of), I was good to go.

Just when I was about to leave the house, Favour called to ask where I was. I told her I was about to leave the house and she said they were just finishing from church. I asked what happened that the mass took this long and she promised to explain but I’m to wait at home as she’s coming to pick me.

Some 15 minutes later, I heard the sound of dad’s car honking outside. Stepping outside, I locked the gate and got in next to her.

“Nice dress. Looks better on your body than when you held it,” I complimented her.“Thanks. So, you still use glasses?” she replied as she pulled away.“You don see am na. So, where to now? What happened in church?” I asked.

“You won’t believe the drama that almost played out, that is if you don’t think it played out already. It was actually a group wedding. The parish priest had decided to wed both couples the same time as against two different masses. So mass was to start by 10am.

So, it turned out that the other man was once married to another lady and they both had two kids. You know that type of waterproof marriage where the lady gets pregnant and moves in with the guy whether he pays anything or not. So it happened that the second child came around but by that time, the dude had already done some traditional stuffs with her family and was now left with the TM (traditional marriage) proper. But dude wasn’t financially okay at all as living was from hand-to-mouth. So, wifey felt she couldn’t cope again and left with another dude who she had been seeing all the while. It was so bad she left her kids behind and the last daughter was just 1.

Friends begged, his family begged, neighbors begged, with some suggesting she at least take the last child with her. But she refused, arguing they were his to be taken care of and fended for. Sad part she had the support of her family ‘cos new dude was buoyant or met her financial needs and those of her immediate family members and they claimed he hadn’t done her TM yet.

Well, she’s pretty, as in really really pretty even more than the new wife. So, perhaps she felt her beauty was her ticket to good living. But it turned out that there was another girl in the compound who had rounded off her NCE from the college here but had nothing doing and was seeking admission into the university so she could earn a degree. While dude who was a commercial driver then went to work, new girly took care of the girls, dropping and picking the one in school while babysitting the 1year old girl.

It wasn’t much but dude managed to pay her or rather gave her some cash in appreciation. Before too long, an affair started between them. It was easy as new girly loved girls like they were hers, going out of her way to make them happy. Forgot to add, dude was a graduate and was applying for jobs all the while.

So, after two years, baby was now three, knew new girl as mom, and new girl had began one of the Unical’s degree programs the college now offered. Dude got employed as lecturer at the college. We were same set, but he’s an academic staff while I’m not. A year later, he did his TM with new girl, she was in her 2nd year then. So today was the white wedding, baby now four, not too sure but I think the elder sister is 6 or 7.”

At this point we drove into the reception venue. Photo session was going on and we made our way towards the hall. Mom’s car was parked at a corner. Fay introduced me to some of her friends and colleagues at the college. I met with another of her friends back in secondary school who with the way she looked at us both, she already concluded we were fucking each other. She wasn’t wrong though, as Favour wouldn’t let me be or out of her sight.

Then I sighted Guy 1 drive in with his girlfriend from the other day at the club house. We then proceeded into the hall. Fay, Guy 1, his girlfriend and I sat together. The other girl sat next to us. So we resumed our discussion.

“So, just when mass was about to begin, old girl and family, brother actually, showed up with cops to arrest dude.”“Haaa!” I exclaimed in surprise, not too loudly but enough for the girls on the next table to look at me. Fay’s mate in disdain.“Wetin we no see?” Guy1 chipped in.“My grouse was with the stupid police officers that came with them,” Guy1’s girlfriend added.“Is it not bail money they are looking for?” Guy1 asked.“So, what happened?” I asked with wet appetite for the gossip.

Favour went on, “They claimed he had kids with their sister and refused to marry her. So he must pay 500K as settlement before he can proceed with the wedding.” “What happened to the guy she left with?” I asked.

Guy1 answered saying, “Which guy go marry woman wey abandon her kids and marriage? She is very fine and dude just saw free pussy (his girlfriend hit his arm for the word) and fucked (she pinched him) life outta it while giving her stupid mom and brothers peanuts. She must have had several abortions for him sef as dude wasn’t committed to settling down. He left town two years later and she began to warm different men’s beds in town, but shame wouldn’t allow her return. Her second daughter doesn’t know her, the first one wouldn’t see her.

As Bros fortunes come change, he come marry girl wey been love am and him kids when nothing dey. Only for her to show up with her hungry and jobless brothers, forgetting how the whole town begged her to stay, demanding to collect 500k. God punish devil.”

“I no know say e pain you reach this level o,” Fay laughed asking him.“Na my guy. I know wetin him pass through all those times,” he replied her.“So, how was it settled?” I asked, not satisfied.

Favour continued, “The parish priest told them that he wouldn’t allow them arrest him for any reason. That to start with, the Catholic church have a special wedding announcement called Bans of marriage. And that these announcements are made three times for three Sundays before the actual wedding date is fixed. This is to give people who might have issues with the intending couple getting married in the church time to come forward with their complaints. And since they never showed up, they have no case. At a point, a politician who is a guest at this wedding now intervened. By then, our own couple were already fretting, hoping someone wouldn’t show up from out of the blue and ruin their own day.

The mass eventually started by 11 for both couples. Their reception is somewhere else though.” she concluded.

The reception went on as scheduled and it was not until the MC called on the cake designer to come present the cake did I remember Rose was supposed to be there. She stood up from the opposite corner from where we sat. My heart this time missed the beat where I saw how elegant and graceful she looked in her sky blue gown that matched her skin colour. Sponge cake…Vanilla flavoured.

“Ain’t that Ella’s friend?” Guy1 asked. “Yeah, she is,” I replied, not taking my eyes off her as she spoke.

Favour, smart girl. With the way I looked transfixed at Rose while she spoke, Favour recognized her as the girl from chief’s residence and she automatically presumed she was the other girl I’ve been seeing in town. Her face turned green but she tried to conceal it. But just like me, she failed woefully in that regard (i.e hiding our true feelings behind a smile)

After the presentation and cutting of the cake, Rose returned to her seat and that was when I saw that Ella was seated with her. I tapped Guy1 to see Ella with her. He and his girlfriend both waved at them and they reciprocated. It kinda eased the tension as Fay now felt perhaps it was because we went with them to the ranch or something. And since I didn’t look their way again, paying 100% attention to Fay, she kinda let it go.

By 4pm, the reception was as good as over and we were outside the hall talking when both of them came to meet us. Both hugged I and Guy1 and his girlfriend and shook hands with Favour. They left almost immediately as Rose’s aunt called them.

We both left a few minutes later. In the car, she asked which of the girls I had something with. Just told her Rose, but that was before she told me she was pregnant and nothing came out of it. Also, that was why she was a little bit cold towards me cos I avoided her since then. More like I didn’t proceed with my intentions.